Airport mapping database using a node-edge network of geospatial objects

Abstract

A method includes receiving geospatial data representative of a plurality of geospatial objects of an airport taxi system, the plurality of geospatial objects including a first geospatial object and a second geospatial object, wherein first geospatial data is representative of the first geospatial object and second geospatial data is representative of the second geospatial object. The method also includes determining a routing relationship between the first geospatial object and the second geospatial object based at least on the first geospatial data and the second geospatial data, wherein the routing relationship indicates that an aircraft using the airport taxi system can pass from the first geospatial object to the second geospatial object. The method also includes generating spatial relationship data describing the routing relationship, wherein generating the spatial relationship data comprises generating data describing nodes or edges of a node-edge network.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 receiving, from an airport mapping database (“AMDB”), geospatial data representative of a plurality of geospatial objects of an airport taxi system, the plurality of geospatial objects including a first geospatial object and a second geospatial object, wherein first geospatial data is representative of the first geospatial object and second geospatial data is representative of the second geospatial object; 
 determining a routing relationship between the first geospatial object and the second geospatial object based at least on the first geospatial data and the second geospatial data, wherein the routing relationship indicates that an aircraft using the airport taxi system can pass from the first geospatial object to the second geospatial object; 
 generating spatial relationship data describing the routing relationship, wherein generating the spatial relationship data comprises generating data describing nodes or edges of a node-edge network; 
 adding the spatial relationship data to the geospatial data to generate updated geospatial data; and 
 storing the updated geospatial data at the AMDB. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first geospatial object comprises a taxi guidance object. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the routing relationship comprises identifying the first geospatial object as a taxiway intersection and identifying one or more neighbors of the first geo spatial object. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the routing relationship comprises:
 generating a logical object from the first geospatial data and the second geospatial data, wherein the first geospatial object comprises a first runway object and the second geospatial object comprises a second runway object; and 
 segmenting the logical object to generate one or more topology connectors. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the routing relationship comprises:
 generating a logical object from the first geospatial data and the second geospatial data, wherein the first geospatial object comprises a first runway displaced area and the second geospatial object comprises a second runway displaced area; and 
 segmenting the logical object to generate one or more topology connectors. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first geospatial object comprises a parking stand object. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the second geospatial object comprises a taxiway object. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the first geospatial data describes a first polygon representing boundaries of the first geospatial object and the second geospatial data describes a second polygon representing boundaries of the second geospatial object, and wherein determining the routing relationship comprises identifying a topological relationship between the first polygon and the second polygon. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the routing relationship between the first geospatial object and the second geospatial object comprises determining a plurality of topology connectors. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the routing relationship between the first geospatial object and the second geospatial object comprises identifying a geospatial object of the plurality of geospatial objects as a topology node. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first geospatial object comprises a deicing location. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first geospatial object comprises a portion of a runway. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first geospatial object comprises a stopway. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first geospatial object comprises a portion of a runway displaced area. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first geospatial object comprises a taxi holding area. 
     
     
       16. A non-transient, computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by one or more processors to perform operations that include:
 receiving, from an airport mapping database (“AMDB”), geospatial data representative of a plurality of geospatial objects of an airport taxi system, the plurality of geospatial objects including a first geospatial object and a second geospatial object, wherein first geospatial data is representative of the first geospatial object and second geospatial data is representative of the second geospatial object; 
 determining a routing relationship between the first geospatial object and the second geospatial object based at least on the first geospatial data and the second geospatial data, wherein the routing relationship indicates that an aircraft using the airport taxi system can pass from the first geospatial object to the second geospatial object; 
 generating spatial relationship data describing the routing relationship, wherein generating the spatial relationship data comprises generating data describing nodes or edges of a node-edge network; 
 adding the spatial relationship data to the geospatial data to generate updated geospatial data; and 
 storing the updated geospatial data at the AMDB. 
 
     
     
       17. The non-transient, computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein determining the routing relationship comprises identifying the first geospatial object as a taxiway intersection and identifying one or more neighbors of the first geospatial object. 
     
     
       18. The non-transient, computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the first geospatial object comprises a parking stand object; 
 the second geospatial object comprises a taxiway object; 
 the first geospatial data describes a first polygon representing boundaries of the first geospatial object and the second geospatial data describes a second polygon representing boundaries of the second geospatial object; and 
 determining the routing relationship comprises identifying a topological relationship between the first polygon and the second polygon. 
 
     
     
       19. A system comprising:
 a memory; 
 one or more processors configured to:
 receive, from an airport mapping database (“AMDB”), geospatial data representative of a plurality of geospatial objects of an airport taxi system, the plurality of geospatial objects including a first geospatial object and a second geospatial object, wherein first geospatial data is representative of the first geospatial object and second geospatial data is representative of the second geospatial object; 
 determine a routing relationship between the first geospatial object and the second geospatial object based at least on the first geospatial data and the second geospatial data, wherein the routing relationship indicates that an aircraft using the airport taxi system can pass from the first geospatial object to the second geospatial object; 
 generate spatial relationship data describing the routing relationship, wherein generating the spatial relationship data comprises generating data describing nodes or edges of a node-edge network; 
 add the spatial relationship data to the geospatial data to generate updated geospatial data; and 
 store the updated geospatial data at the AMDB. 
 
 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the first geospatial object comprises a parking stand object; 
 the second geospatial object comprises a taxiway object; 
 the first geospatial data describes a first polygon representing boundaries of the first geospatial object and the second geospatial data describes a second polygon representing boundaries of the second geospatial object; and 
 the one or more processors are configured to determine the routing relationship comprises by identifying a topological relationship between the first polygon and the second polygon.